Wednesday 26th December 1917

Front line trenches on the Montello.

There was a further hard frost overnight 25^th-26^th and the weather remained cold all day.

There were Austrian air raids in response to the allied raids of the previous day; 11 Austrian aircraft were reported to have been shot down, with no losses for the allies.

Pte. Robert Frank Smith (25829) (see 13^th December) was transferred from 23^rd Divisional Rest Station, via 39^th Casualty Clearing Station, to 66^th General Hospital at Bordighera; he had been suffering from swelling to his right knee.

Pte. George Barber (see 14^th November), serving with the Royal Defence Corps in Middlesbrough, was reported for ‘overstaying his pass’; he had been due to return at 12 noon but would not report back until 10pm on 29^th December and would ordered to forfeit seven days’ pay.

Pte. Charles William Hird (see 5^th December), who had been absent without leave for the previous three weeks, reported back to 3DWR at Tynemouth. Having missed his posting to France he was sentenced to 28 days detention, with loss of pay.

Two former members of 10DWR were married; both men had been evacuated to England having been wounded near Le Sars in October 1916. L.Cpl. Maurice Bannister (see 25^th May), who had been discharged from the army due to wounds he had suffered, married Alice Nutt in a ceremony held at the Wesley Place Chapel, Paper Mill Bridge, Keighley. Pte. Daniel Brennan (see 11^th November) married Jane Steele at St. Ann’s Church, Bradford.

Pte. Patrick Ferguson (see 5^th December), who had been in England since July, suffering from rheumatic fever, was formally discharged from the Army as being no longer physically fit for service; he was awarded a pension of 27s. 6d. per week for four weeks, reducing thereafter to 5s. 6d and to be reviewed in a year’s time.